left wing
[f. left a. + wing n.]
1. a. The division on the left side of an army or fleet in battle array.
| 1535 Coverdale 1 Macc. ix. 16 When they which were of the lefte wynge, sawe that the right side was discomfited. 1670 Eachard Cont. Clergy 47 He falls a fighting with his text, and makes a pitch'd battel of it, dividing it into the right-wing and left-wing. 1844 H. H. Wilson Brit. India III. 149 The European divisions were directed severally against the left and right wings. |
b. In football and similar games: the position of a player on the left side of the centre(s); a player occupying this position; the part of the field in which a left wing normally plays. Cf. wing n. 7 b.
| 1882 in Charles-Edwards & Richardson They saw it Happen (1958) 300 He was instantly robbed by Strachan, who passed it [sc. the football] to the left wing. 1889 Field 5 Jan. 29/3 [Hockey] The left wings played to each other well, and the backs..were seen at their best. 1921 in B. James England v Scotland (1969) vi. 125 Remember he was against probably the finest left wing in the three countries; certainly the cleverest outside⁓left, Alan Morton. 1974 Liverpool Echo (Football ed.) 4 May 1/3 He raced down the left wing..to cross the ball into the goalmouth. |
2. In Politics. (See left a. 3 b.) Freq. attrib. Also transf.
| 1884 W. James Will to Believe (1897) 171 In theology, subjectivism develops as its ‘left wing’ antinomianism. Ibid., If the Hegelian gnosticism, which has begun to show itself here and in Great Britain, were to become popular philosophy, as it once was in Germany, it would certainly develop its left wing here as there, and produce a reaction of disgust. 1898 Bodley France II. 427 Significant also is the attitude of the Socialists, who now compose the Radical left wing. 1905 W. James Meaning of Truth (1909) v. 124 If the formula ever became canonical, it would certainly develop both right-wing and left-wing interpreters. 1921 H. Crane Let. 25 Dec. (1965) 74 You have met about all the personalities in the younger left-wing at all worth while. 1923 G. D. H. Cole Trade Unionism & Munitions p. i, One of the principal contentions of the ‘left-wing’ elements in the Trade Union and Socialist movements. 1940 W. Temple Thoughts in War-Time iii. 23 The Left Wing tends to identify the Government and the community. 1957 Times Lit. Suppl. 1 Nov. 653/1 Mr Humphreys has been very ambitious here, in an attempt to analyse the relationships between a rich magazine publisher with Left⁓wing political ambitions and his family. 1972 Times 5 Sept. 2/3 The left-wing challenge over Europe is expected to unseat at least one member of the Labour Party National Executive Committee. |
Also left-ˈwinger, -ˈwingery, -ˈwingism; left-ˈwingish a.
Quots. 1891, 1896, 1967 are sense 1 b, the remainder sense 2.
| 1891 Peel City Guardian IX. 7/3 A beautiful bit of passing by the Peel left wingers. 1896 Left winger [see winger 2]. 1923 G. D. H. Cole Workshop Organiz. 17 The rise of ‘left-wingism’ inside the Trade Union movement. 1924 Glasgow Herald 5 Apr. 9 The unscrupulous, untiring representative of the leftest of left-wingers. 1951 R. Campbell Light on Dark Horse 249, I have never been Left-Wingish. 1955 Times 2 May 8/5 Mr. Zilliacus is a left winger who has often been a thorn in the side of the party leadership. 1963 Guardian 10 May 22/7 Vague Left-Wingism. 1967 J. Potter Foul Play (1968) viii. 90 Good left wingers are in short supply. 1968 Economist 7 Sept. 25 Voted on to the general council were Mr Cousins's new ally from the engineers, Mr Hugh Scanlon, and the draughtsmen's militant leader, Mr George Doughty. This gives the sensation of more imminent left-wingery. 1972 Listener 2 Nov. 615/3 A period atmosphere of Thirties left-wingery. 1975 Daily Tel. 22 Feb. 10/4 Perry Worsthorne was allowed about 30 seconds to question how far Jenkins' left-wingery was an opportunist gimmick, to ‘shock and provoke’ his opponents. |